Wildlife such as birds, squirrels and a variety of other animals are well-known to prefer to construct nests and homes in confined spaces. For a variety of reasons such as security and safety for the wildlife, nests are often preferably located in enclosed or partially bounded spaces. All too often, these confined spaces are in man-made places where the presence of wildlife is undesirable and in many situations dangerous. For example, wildlife that nest in or congregate around substations and similar electrical equipment and transmission/distribution facilities often cause power outages and “blinks” when an animal comes into contact with energized electrical equipment. Power companies must deal with blinks and other similar outages on a regular basis and the repair costs—both to power companies and consumers—can be substantial. As another example, wildlife can build nests in drain and gutter systems in buildings, disrupting water runoff and often causing water backup and flooding, with associated damage and costs of repair.
Given the scope of the problems caused by wildlife nesting, it is not surprising that there are many wildlife guards available on the market. The electric utility industry uses a variety of guards such as spiral-type guards that slide over equipment and parts of substations, held in place with clips or ties. These guards are effective to a degree, but they are relatively difficult to install and do nothing to prevent wildlife from nesting in their preferred, bounded spaces.
Despite the many wildlife guards on the market there is a need for a wildlife barrier system that is simple to install and defines an effective way to prevent animals from nesting in places where the animals are not wanted.
The subject invention is an apparatus for blocking or occluding access to an enclosed space so that wildlife cannot enter the space for either nesting or other habitation.
In one embodiment the apparatus is preferably defined by a base member that has plural protruding resilient mechanical members—spikes—that facilitate insertion of the device into a bounded space and which resist subsequent extraction forces. When the apparatus is inserted into a space, the spikes discourage and/or blocks wildlife from entering the space, yet the spikes do not injure or otherwise harm the wildlife.
In an illustrated embodiment, the barrier apparatus is fabricated from molded plastic materials that are assembled into a finished unit. A main body or base is fabricated in the shape of a sphere that is defined by two separate hemispheres, each of which has plural through-opening for plural spikes. The resilient spikes are formed by a group of spikes extending from a cylindrical base structure—two groups of such structures are nested together and held in each hemisphere. The two hemispheres are interconnected to complete the assembly of the barrier apparatus.
According to one aspect of the invention the wildlife barrier apparatus is adapted for installation in and around electrical transmission facilities such as electrical substations. The apparatus includes a loop that may be attached to the hook of a conventional lineman's hot stick; the hot stick is used to grasp the apparatus and the wildlife barrier may be installed in the desired location with the hotstick. Once installed in a bounded space, the hook of the hotstick is disengaged from the loop of the wildlife barrier, leaving the barrier engaged in the space.
In yet another aspect of the invention, the wildlife barrier may be installed by hand—the barrier is inserted into a bounded space in a desired position. Hand installation is appropriate when the barrier apparatus is installed in bounded spaces that are relatively easily reached and in which there is no danger to a worker from live electrical wires and the like.
Regardless of how and where the wildlife barrier apparatus is installed, the barrier blocks entry of wildlife into the bounded space in which the apparatus is inserted. The plural spikes define a deterrent to wildlife from entering the space—the spikes form a physical block to animals attempting to enter the space and because the spikes are pointed, the animals will not try to force passage past the barrier. The spikes are resilient and lodge against the walls of the bounded space, thereby preventing removal of the barrier both by wildlife and otherwise.
The barrier does not injure wildlife but does provide an effective barrier to prevent animals from entering and nesting in locations where they should not be.